Softcover International, the publisher of Scan2CAD automatic raster to vector conversion software, has announced Raster to Vector Auntie, the first blog dedicated to providing AEC, CAD, GIS and CNC users with in-depth professional advice on how to successfully convert scanned paper drawings into DXF vector files suitable for editing in any PC CAD or CNC program.

Raster to Vector Auntie is written by Andrea Tribe, a director of Softcover, assisted by Steve Hannath, the editor of Scanners4CAD, Softcover's independent non-commercial large format scanner and scanning solutions website. While Scanners4CAD provides AEC, CAD, GIS and CNC users with advice on how to get the best results from their wide format scanners, Raster to Vector Auntie shows them how a properly produced scan can be quickly and efficiently converted into CAD-editable vector files.

As its name suggests, Raster to Vector Auntie is a forum for AEC, CAD, GIS and CNC users troubled with issues or questions about raster to vector conversion in general or Scan2CAD in particular.

Raster to Vector Auntie provides concise, professional answers based on 15 years of daily experience with Scan2CAD. In general, says Andrea Tribe, "the main problems besetting users are the type and quality of the original drawing, a lack of knowledge about scanning and poor attention to detail when scanning, all of which result in inappropriate scanned images that are either lacking in image detail, are far too dirty and at the wrong resolution, most often too low."

While driving home the need for raster to vector conversion software to start with the best quality scanned image possible, Raster to Vector Auntie offers hints, tips and explanations on the raster to vector conversion process itself and how this can be enhanced through the use of Scan2CAD's many powerful and flexible professional options. In addition, the Raster to Vector Auntie blog contains articles about associated subjects, like the availability and price of A1 / D-size and A2 / C-size scanners.

"Selling and supporting raster to vector conversion software is a constant exercise in education" says Andrea Tribe. "People are trained to be engineers or architects, to use CAD software but few are taught about raster images or how to scan a drawing. This can lead to disastrous raster to vector conversion results when many users simply expect it to automatically produce a CAD-perfect drawing from a poor quality - sometimes completely illegible - raster image. As a guide to what not to do, we have a special Ghastly Gallery showing some samples of the worst offending scanned raster images we have received.

"Raster to Vector Auntie aims to provide helpful information about scanning, raster images and raster to vector conversion so that those who do conversions will have the best possible chance of success." she concluded.

Founded in 1991 and based in Cambridge, England, a center of excellence in British science and technology, Softcover is the developer and publisher of Scan2CAD, a leading automatic raster to vector conversion program used in over 80 countries worldwide. Softcover is also the publisher of Scanners4CAD, an independent large format scanner news and views site offering AEC, CAD, GIS and CNC users impartial advice on buying and using large format scanners, and Raster to Vector Auntie, a blog designed to assist in dealing with the problems of converting scanned images from raster to vector.